Groundbreaking cases: Why do fully vaccinated people get COVID-19?

RALEIGH (WTVD) – The vast majority of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in North Carolina are among the unvaccinated, but as of May, around six percent of cases are in people already fully vaccinated against the virus, according to Health public officials.

Researchers attribute part of the blame for these groundbreaking cases to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

“The idea is not that you could never potentially come in contact with the virus and be infected with it,” said Dr Tony Moody, medical scientist at Duke’s Human Vaccine Institute. “The point is, if you get infected with it, you just don’t have any disease or symptoms. You can still potentially transmit, you can still pass the virus to someone else, but you’re not going to have it. ‘get sick. And that’s really what we want from a vaccine. “

Statewide, 60% of adults now have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which Moody says is designed to prevent people from becoming seriously ill and dying from the disease.

“I would encourage people to get vaccinated because it could potentially prevent them from having a catastrophic problem,” he said. “I mean, if they get the vaccine and they have a little cold or if they have to take a day or two off work, it’s much better than getting the disease and having to go through a month. in intensive care. “

Wake County said on Wednesday that nearly all new cases of COVID-19 in the county have been in people who are not fully vaccinated.

NCDHHS Health Secretary Dr Mandy Cohen said the same is true for the state.

Governor Roy Cooper announced on Wednesday he would let his executive order expire at the end of the month, ending the statewide mask mandate.

Moody said that with the recent spike in cases, he feared another wave of the virus could occur. He expects mask warrants and social distancing to return this fall, which will coincide with the typical seasonal peak in respiratory illnesses.

“Everyone – and me included – would love this thing to be over,” Moody said. “I don’t think we’re there yet.